Sound mixing seems like a safe bet because that one in the past few years has gone to the huge-scope films (Les Mis, Inception) but sound editing doesn’t really have a trend or a certain “type” of film that it goes to. I could see Captain Phillips getting its due there.

Sound mixing is given to the best mixing of sound with picture (a.k.a the best incorporation of sound into a film), so it makes sense that big visual epics and musicals win here.

Sound editing is for the best use and management of sound and sound effects, so movies with gun fights and explosions (and occassionally heavy gusts of wind and moving parts in factories/on robots) are the bait here. So I actually think Captain Phillips is a safe bet for that one. Maybe Lone Survivor.

I was thinking about this awhile back. It might be easy to forget, but there is no sound in space. I would not be at all surprised if Gravity loses both sound categories. In fact, I suspect it will if it loses the top prize, though I don’t think that’ll happen.